The present invention relates to a video conference system, and its reservation server, a control unit, a video conference terminal device, and a storage medium including a program stored thereon, which are used for the video conference system.
In the conventional video conference system, a reservation server manages reservation information of the video conference from the user. The reservation server controls a multi-point control unit on the basis of the reservation information. The multi-point control unit on the basis of the reservation information. The multi-point control unit performs connection of the video conference terminal devices in response to the control according to the reservation information. Thus the video conference is opened. The reservation information of the video conference includes opening time of the video conference, end time of the video conference, video conference terminal devices which participate in the conference, and so forth. The information of the video conference terminal device is place information of circuit number and so forth. The reservation server registered therein place information of respective video conference terminal devices beforehand. The user selects the video conference terminal device to sit on the conference from a list on the occasion of reservation. The reservation server causes control for the sake of connection of selected video conference terminal devices at the time of reservation to be executed to the multi-point control unit on the occasion of opening of the conference.
However, in the conventional video conference system, the reservation server implements not only acceptance of the reservation, but also control of opening of the conference. Consequently, if the reservation server does not control the multi-point control unit for the sake of opening of the conference, the video conference terminal device is incapable of opening the conference. For instance, when fault and so forth occur in the reservation server, there is the problem that the reservation is incapable of being executed. Further, the reserved video conference becomes incapable of opening.
In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention, in order to overcome the above mentioned problem, to provide a video conference system, and its reservation server, a control unit, a video conference terminal device, and a storage medium including a program stored thereon wherein the reservation server does not control opening of the video conference in order to enable the reserved conference to be opened surely.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, in order to achieve the above mentioned object, there is provided a video conference system which comprises a plurality of video conference terminal devices, a control unit causing a video conference to be executed while connecting the plurality of video conference terminal devices selectively, a reservation unit for inputting therein reservation information in order to reserve the video conference by a user, and a reservation server which accepts the reservation information before generating individual reservation number for the sake of reserved video conference to inform to the reservation unit and the control unit, wherein the control unit causes a video conference to be opened when the reservation number sent from the video conference terminal device agrees with the informed reservation number while connecting the video conference terminal device as members participating to the reserved video conference.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, there is provided a video conference system, wherein the reservation number is generated in such a way that the reservation number is encoded on the basis of the reservation information.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a reservation server in the video conference system which comprises a reception means for receiving reservation information in order to reserve the video conference inputted from the user, and a generating means for generating to be outputted individual reservation number for the sake of the video conference according to the received reservation information.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the third aspect, there is provided a reservation server in the video conference system, wherein the generating means for generating the reservation number in such a way that the reservation number is encoded on the basis of the reservation information.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a control unit in the video conference system which comprises a maintaining means for receiving to be maintained individual reservation number for the sake of reserved video conference, and a control means for comparing the reservation number sent from a plurality of video conference terminal equipments respectively with the maintained reservation number, thus causing the video conference to be opened while connecting the plurality of video conference terminal devices when the former reservation number agrees with the later reservation number.
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a video conference terminal device in the video conference system which comprises a transmitting means for transmitting an individual reservation number for the sake of the reserved video conference to a control unit for connecting a plurality of video conference terminal devices participating in the video conference.
According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a storage medium storing therein a program for executing the processing for receiving reservation information in order to reserve a video conference inputted from a user, and a processing for generating to be outputted an individual reservation number for the sake of the video conference according to the received reservation information.
According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a storage medium storing therein a program for executing the processing for receiving to be maintained an individual reservation number for the sake of reserved video conference, and a processing for comparing a reservation number sent from a plurality of video conference terminal devices with the maintained reservation number, before opening the video conference while connecting the plurality of video conference terminal devices when the former reservation number agrees with the later reservation number.
According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a storage medium storing therein a program for executing the processing for sending an individual reservation number for the sake of reserved video conference to a control unit for connecting a plurality of video conference terminal devices participating in the video conference.
According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a video conference opening method comprising the steps of a step for providing a plurality of video conference terminal devices, a step for causing a video conference to be executed while connecting the plurality of video conference terminal devices selectively by means of a control unit, a step for inputting therein reservation information in order to reserve the video conference by a user by means of a reservation unit, and a step for accepting the reservation information before generating individual reservation number for the sake of reserved video conference to inform to the reservation unit and the control unit by means of a reservation server;
wherein the control unit causes a video conference to be opened when the reservation number sent from the video conference terminal equipment agrees with the informed reservation number while connecting the video conference terminal devices as members participating in the reserved video conference.
The above and further objects and novel features of the invention will be more fully understood from the following detailed description when the same is read in connection with the accompanying drawings. It should be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for purposes of illustration only and are not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention.